Within a Looking Glass – A Rika pseudo-route
Posted: Sat Feb 24, 2018 4:15 pm
It has been less than a month since I first became aware of Katawa Shoujo, and a few weeks since I found myself here, absorbed with the various fan fictions. A few days ago I found myself on Eurobeatjester's Saki pseudo-route, and looked up the original April Fools joke which inspired it. Then I went to see what had been written about the other character from that, Rika, and was disappointed in what I'd found. Not that they were bad, but I found them, honestly, very nihlistic, and not in tune with the original writeup nor really allowing for Hisao's development. So, yesterday I got to thinking, if I'm not happy with what I've found, why don't I do it myself?
Why did I gravitate to Rika? Well, one, because she's effectively an open book. But two, she represented something not found in any other route - a mirror for Hisao. His interactions with her would ultimately be a reflection upon himself. Every route explores part of Hisao, and develops it, but none ever truly allow for reflection and full acceptance of his condition.
So, this is what I wrote yesterday, and used today for editing. I'll work on more in a bit.
Act 1:
1
2
Act 2:
1
2
Act 1:
Changes to Gateway Effect and Enter Stage Left:
Mutou looks at me levelly before asking, “Do you want to introduce yourself to the class?”
“Ok, then yeah, sure. I mean, isn’t that normal?” I finally decide.
“Of course. But not everyone likes to be at the center of attention,” he replies.
I am not one of those people either, but I want to make sure I give a good impression.
“Right, but it’s no problem.”
Mutou nods. “Let’s go then.”
As we walk, I think to myself, before asking him a question. “Is it normal for students here to share why they are here? Their issues? I don’t know what is expected of me.”
He pauses a moment at the door. “It is not required, but if your classmates know of your condition, it will certainly make things easier. If something were to happen, they would more likely to know how to respond.”
It makes sense, I suppose. While I’d not had an attack since that afternoon, I knew the risk was always going to be there.
He continues after a moment. “Think of it this way. Imagine you had a problem breathing. Would you want those with whom you share a sizable portion of your day to be aware of it, so in case you had an episode they would be able to respond?”
I muse this point, then nod.
Satisfied, Mutou enters the classroom, saying “Good morning everyone, sorry I am late again.
I follow in the teachers wake into the classroom and look around, partially so I won't have to meet the curious gazes of my new classmates.
I am immediately struck by how spacious the room is. With a high ceiling and lots of room between desks, the room feels very comfortable to me. Behind me, the entire wall is taken up by blackboards. Along the far wall are old fashioned windows set at head level, giving the illusion of yet more space. The desks are just standard wooden desks with a shelf underneath for books and wooden chairs with metal frames, just like my old school.
When I reach the front of the classroom I turn to face the other students. I tune out the teacher's speech halfway through while he introduces me to the class. They all look like students in any other school. My eyes slowly focus across the room at them. One of the girls seems to be missing the thumb of her right hand, reminding me that this is not a normal school, and that everyone who is here needs to be here for one reason or another.
A flash of dark hair catches my eye, and I spot a girl with really long, straight hair that is pretty eye-catching looking at me. As she sees me looking back at her, she covers her face with her hands as if it will make her invisible. My eyes linger a moment more before I continue looking around the room.
A cane leans against the lockers at the rear of the class, next to a boy. Another girl seems to be making some hand motions, maybe sign language, to the smiling, pink haired girl next to her. She peers at me over the rims of her glasses, then goes back to whatever she's doing.
My attention returns as Mutou says "…please welcome our newest classmate."
The room falls into silence, it is my turn to speak.
I bow respectfully to my new classmates. “Hello, I am Hisao Nakai.” I inhale and steel myself. “I came to Yamaku Academy due to an arrhythmia, a weak heart. I am not made of glass, but I would ask kindly for people not to jostle me. I hope to get along well with everyone even though I am a new student.”
The silence in the room stretched for eternity I felt, but in truth was only a few moments before Mutou began speaking again. After a moment, the class applauds just as Mutou directs me to where I am to sit, next to the two girls I saw using sign language moments before.
--------
Changes to Lunch Evolution Theory and Meet Cute. Can do something similar with Short Sharp Shock:
“Mind if I accompany you?” I ask the pair as they turn to leave.
Lilly pauses a moment before replying, “I’m sure that we could accommodate you, can’t we Hanako?”
Hanako freezes like a deer in headlights. Then stammers out “S-sure.”
Smiling, Lilly turns again to leave. “Well then, shall we go?”
I pick up my things and trail behind them, ignoring the glares from Shizune and Misha behind me.
As we turn the corner, I find myself suddenly running into something which was moving too fast for me to anticipate. Hanako’s scream fills my ear as I land on the ground aside from her.
“Ouch,” is all I manage to say before landing on my back.
I look over at what hit me, and find myself staring into the green eyes of a girl in a track uniform, also knocked down by the impact. She appears as stunned as I feel, but no obvious damage. Surprising me, I notice she lacks flesh and blood legs, instead sporting legs of metal and plastic. As soon as she recovers, she jumps back onto her feet.
“Aw man… Hey, are you all right? I'm sorry about that, really!” she says, in a very apologetic manner. “I wasn't looking where I was going, and you just came out of nowhere. Sorry… Sorry.”
I wave her off, “It's okay. Don't worry about it… ouch…”
The thumping, not again. It’s only my first week here. I focus on my breathing as I try and calm my heart down. Almost on the edge of perception I can hear Hanako’s voice explaining to someone “He has a heart condition.”
“Oh no!” says the girl’s voice.
Lilly’s voice starts to get a bit clearer. “Emi, you’ve been warned not to run in the halls.”
“Sorry, sorry, let me get the nurse,” comes the voice, Emi’s I assume, now nearly full clarity, and quite loud.
I manage to stammer out. “I can walk, give me a moment.” A few deep breaths later, and my heart seems back to it’s normal, if irregular, beat. “There.”
Lilly is facing me with a rather stern look on her face. “You need to see the nurse.”
Emi nods, “If I let you go and something happened, I would feel horrible!”
A quick glance to Hanako, and it was clear that I was outvoted by the ladies before me.
Behind me, I can hear the sounds of rushing feet, along with Misha’s voice. “Who screamed? Hicchan! What happened?”
Emi injected, “It’s my fault, I was running. Here, let me help.”
“Ibarazaki, you know the rules about...”
Lilly interrupted them, saying, “Lecture her later. Hisao needs to see the nurse first. Emi, do you have him?”
Emi grabs one arm and forces herself under it. I note that for such a small girl, she is remarkably strong. I catch a whiff of sweat off of her, and strawberries.
“I’ll be fine,” I start to object.
“We’ll let the nurse determine that,” comes Misha’s voice. Someone behind me has placed their hand on my back, while Emi supports me under one arm. I can feel the crowd around me as we move. What a way to make a first impression this week. I fight away the tears I feel welling up within me.
I am broken.
--------
New Scene, alternate to Sip and Detour Ahead after above changes – The White Rabbit:
Emi burst in, half carrying me. “Nurse!”
The nurse looks out from his office, then spots Emi carrying me, with Shizune, Lilly, Hanako and Misha trailing behind.
“What happened?”
Emi jumps in before anyone else can respond. “I was late and was running in the hall and I didn’t see him, then he fell, turned red and grabbed his chest and Hanako said he had a bad heart and….”
“Emi, calm down. Hisao, into my office. Emi, you sit there, I’ve got to talk to you,” the nurse looks sternly at her.
The look of a hurt puppy flashes in Emi’s eyes. She finds herself standing in a circle of people, all of which look quite upset with her.
I pull myself into the other room. I know how I will be checked, so I start to unbutton my shirt, only to hear someone clearing their throat behind me. I look over my shoulder, and find myself facing a pale, thin girl with an odd red tint to her eyes and white hair sitting on the exam table kicking her legs. I immediately notice that her school uniform’s shirt is unbuttoned, revealing a sports bra underneath. But that is not what my eyes are drawn to. Sticking out on either side of her sports bra clear as day was a dark scar down her pale chest, running clear from her navel to her collarbone.
It takes a moment before the girl notices me standing there. “Hi, I’m Rika.” My brain has not yet engaged, still staring at her chest. After a moment, Rika tilts her head as she realizes what I was staring at. “What? It’s not like it’s a secret…. Why are you staring? Have you never seen a surgery scar before?” She points her thumb at the scar tissue and smiles.” When I die, the autopsy technician will know... exactly where to cut.” She buttons up her shirt, clearly uncomfortable with the attention.
It takes a few moments before my mouth finally engages. “… like mine.”
“What?” she replies, her hands frozen mid-button.
I finally shake off the shock. “Your scar, it’s like mine.”
“Yours?”
It now registers what I just said, to a stranger. It is foolish not to discuss it now. I finish unbuttoning my shirt, and turn around to face Rika, revealing my own chest scar. “Mine.”
Her eyebrows rose to the point it makes her eyes look almost double in size. “Oh! So... we are the same... is that what you're saying? Well…. You tell me yours and I’ll tell you mine.”
“Arrhythmia,” I say without thinking.
“Hypoplastic left heart syndrome,” she replies.
Now it is time for my own eyebrows to go up. “I’m… not familiar with that.”
She looks flatly at me. “It means when I was born, half of my heart did not work right.”
“Oh,” is what I manage to reply.
We both just stare at each other, neither one certain what to say next.
“Am I interrupting?” the Nurse asks as he steps back in the room.
We both suddenly look down, and blush.
“I know sharing surgery scars is the hip thing and all, but I need to make sure Hisao here was not too injured from his run in with Emi.” The nurse seems more serious than the last time I spoke with him. He continues talking while examining my chest. “Very good for you to have been so open about your condition Hisao. It meant that your classmates knew what to do. Not everybody is so forthcoming.” Man that stethoscope is cold.
I finish removing my shirt, and put Rika out of my mind while the nurse begins examining me. “Well, it sounds fine. I’ve lectured Emi about running in the halls, again. And she’s still being lectured, by two class representatives this time. Let’s hope it sinks in.”
Rika laughs, “Your turn, huh?”
I blink, realizing she’s still there. “What was that?”
“Emi ran into me last year…. I think it’s a right of passage at this school,” Rika says. Looking back, I see she is still kicking her legs, like a younger child.
“Aren’t you supposed to be going to lunch?” the nurse looked sternly at Rika.
“He took his shirt off for me, and told me what condition he has, yet still hasn’t introduced himself to me!” She sounds almost annoyed at being asked. “That’s just rude.”
I blink, processing it. “Oh, I’m Hisao Nakai. I only started at Yamaku on Monday.”
“Oh! You’re the new year 3? I’m only second year… class 2-3,” she replies. “You’re in... Hakamichi’s class, yes?”
I nod. “I take it she’s well known?”
Rika rolls her eyes. “Everybody knows the Student Council president.”
At this point I notice that the nurse hasn’t actually done anything for awhile. I look back at him.
He smiles. “I’ve been done for the last two minutes. Was wondering when you’d notice. You’re fine, but good that you came in just in case. Now, both of you should finish your lunch period and get back to class. Now, do you remember what I said about getting some exercise? I’ll talk to Emi about helping you get into shape, so I expect to see you on the track tomorrow morning at 7. No excuses, or else I’ll know. Consider it punishment for giving you a scare.”
“Punishment for me or her?”
The nurse smiles, and turned to walk back to his desk.
I look back, and Rika is standing right behind me, looking at me intensely. “Do you have an umbrella?”
I am taken back by the question. “Not on me, why? There’s not a cloud in the sky.”
“Oh...”
The nurse grabs something from next to his desk and hands it back to her.
“Thank you,” the pale girl says and skips out of the office.
Curious I follow her. She takes out on a pair of sunglasses which she puts on before opening up the umbrella and putting it between her and the sun.
“Need help?” I pipe up.
She looks back at me behind those sunglasses. “I would not mind if it was a little bit higher, to make a larger shadow, thank you.”
Looking down, I can see the shadow was not fully covering her legs. I take it from her hand, and hold it to better cover her in shadow.
We walk along in silence for a few minutes.
“You’re not going to ask?” She finally says.
I shrug. “I already know more about you than I do most people here. I figure it is entirely your business.”
She smiles. “Most people ask about my skin and eyes before they do my scar. It’s... nice to have someone do it the other way around. Thank you... for helping me... with the umbrella.”
“Glad to be of service.”
We walk to the main building, and once inside, Rika removes the sunglasses and closes the umbrella. I then follow her up a flight of stairs before stopping in front of a classroom door.
“This is my classroom. Yours is still a floor up. Although... I heard Emi mention Hanako... while out in the hall. That little room she and Satou use is right over there.” She gestures down the hall with the umbrella. “See you later Hisao.”
“Yeah, see you.”
As I walk away, I hear a voice behind me.
“Hisao?”
I turn around to look at Rika.
“Yes?”
“You have a nice…. scar,” she says while dragging a foot on the ground behind her shyly. It is rather cute.
I can’t help but smile. “You too. I hope to see it again sometime… um… I mean you again….”
Rika smiles as she heads into her classroom.
Smooth move Hisao.
--------
New Option added to Slow Recovery:
I wake up not certain how long I had been out. It takes a few minutes for me to realize that I am in the infirmary, and to remember exactly why I was here. Why ever did I get the idea to try and keep up with a track star?
A moment later, the nurse sticks his head in and smiles. “How are you feeling?”
I shrug. “What time is it?”
He looks more stern as he replies. “Quarter past ten. You did not answer my question Hisao.”
I nod. “Oh, fine.”
He looks unconvinced. “Climb down from that bed then, and let’s see how you’re doing. Don’t...”
I get up too quickly, and the world spins. When it stops, I realize the nurse is holding me up.
“You’re all right. Head stopped spinning?”
I nod. “Yeah.”
The nurse nods in return. “Good. And how are the contents doing? You didn’t show very good judgment out there, Hisao.”
I realize he is right, take a deep breath, and say “No, sir.”
He gives me a look over. “I can try and help you keeping your health, but ultimately the last call lies with you. Hopefully this little episode will be something that will remind you of that. Here, a note for your teacher. To avoid an interrogation. Stay out of trouble, you hear me? I don’t think it was anything but a scare, but next time could be different."
I nod, and start to leave, but then think of something.
“I should clean up before I go to class,” I say.
The nurse raises an eyebrow. “Well, the pool showers are just over there Two dozen individual stalls to clean up in. Go down the hall, take a left when you smell the chlorine. It is not a bad idea to take a shower, you did come here rather sweaty. Last thing we want is for people to get the wrong idea.” He winks at me with that characteristic smirk once again.
As I head in the direction of the pool showers, I notice a familiar hair color sitting on a bench.
“Not in class?” I ask Rika.
“You aren’t either,” she says dryly, looking up at me.
“Yeah, I, um, had another incident and needed some time to recover,” I say in return.
“I saw you in there sleeping. The nurse would not tell me why... but I guessed that was it.”
I chuckle dryly. “I think Emi is trying to kill me. So, what are you doing?”
“Waiting. It’s my class’s physical education period... but I can’t participate. So... I wait... and watch. See?” She points to a set of windows. Below them, a dozen kids are participating in some kind of game involving nets and balls. I’ll admit, I’ve never seen that before.
I smile a little. “You like to watch?”
“When I can. I’ll go up to the roof of the main building... sometimes and watch people below. It’s peaceful up there.”
“Maybe I’ll join you sometime,” I tell her.
“Maybe I’ll like that,” she responds. A few heartbeats later she speaks again. “Still not going to ask?”
I shake my head.
As she looks up at me, it strikes me that the red of her irises looks almost surreal. I never imagined eyes could be that color. They tremble slightly, like it is hard to focus on me.
“I, uh, need to shower before I return to class. Talk to you later, Rika?”
She nods, then smiles slightly. “I’d like that.” Then she realizes what she just said, then turns away, her cheeks turning pink.
The pool shower is colder than the one in my dorm, a fact I am quite grateful for this morning. I am alone in there as well, making the sounds echo.
As I leave, I realize someone is leaning on the wall across from the exit. Rika looks up at me. “Going to class?”
“Yup,” I respond absentmindedly.
“In your running clothes?”
I look down, and realize she was right. Clearly, my head is not in the game today.
“I, er, guess I need to go to my dorm to change.”
“And I... need to go in that direction anyways. May I join you?”
I consider a moment. “Won’t you miss your people watching?”
She shakes her head.
I shrug, and head out, with her following in step. As we exit the door, I hear the umbrella she carries unfolding, and feel a shadow slightly cover one shoulder. As I look down, I see that the shadow once again does not cover her legs. Without saying anything, I gently take hold of it, lifting it slightly to make a larger shadow.
“So, why are you going to the dorms at this time of day?”
Rika looks at me plainly. “Because I wanted an excuse to walk with you again.”
I could feel my eyebrows trying to become a toupee. “W-what?”
Rika just smiles before looking away.
When we get to the dorms, I hand her umbrella back to her, noting that it’s a much fancier one than the one the nurse lent her earlier. Then without word, still not knowing how to respond to what she said, I head in.
I strip out of my sweaty shirt before starting my medicine routine. I am halfway through my pill regimen before I notice the sound of my door opening.
Without even looking I grumble out between pills “Kenji, what have I told you about entering my room without knocking?” I finish taking the pills in my hand before I turn to look, and realize it is Rika standing there. It takes a moment to regain my composition before I finish taking my medicine, a bit more cautiously.
“Your door, it wasn’t fully closed,” she says while clearly looking at the pill bottles on my desk from my doorway. “You have more pill bottles than I do. Not many... but a few.” She pauses before continuing. “You don’t need... to be embarrassed. The Warfarin likes to get stuck in my throat.”
As I stop to process what she just said, she walks over, sets her umbrella down against the side of my desk and picks up one of my pill bottles, looking it over in her hand. Those eyes of hers flick over it quickly, almost mesmerizing in their intensity.
“It looks like we take many of the same pills... although yours seem to be a higher dose. Likely because... you’re a lot heavier... than I am.” She sets it down.
I blink. “You think I’m fat?”
Rika smiles. “No, I’m just light.” So as to emphasize this, she turns to face me and stands on her tip toes while raising her arms. “Go ahead, try and pick me up. I’ll bet you can.”
“Do you try and get picked up by every guy you meet?”
“Only those with heart conditions. You don’t need to be shy about it. I’m not.” She pauses. “Does your … heart sound funny too?”
“Eh, I suppose so,” I stammer out a reply.
“Too personal?”
I manage to nod. A few moments pass before I finally say, “Um, I do need to change.”
She blinks, like she did not fully realize what I was saying. Then her face flushes pink again. It is terribly cute. “Oh… um… I’ll…. Go now.”
She quickly backs out of the room before closing the door. I manage to change into my pants when there came a soft knock at the door. I open it, and Rika is still standing there.
“I, uh, forgot my...”
I look back and see her umbrella leaning against my desk. I quickly grab it and hand it over to her.
“Sorry, sorry, uh, thanks.” She quickly hustles down the hall and out of sight.
I then realize I did all of this without a shirt on. Best get to class before I do anything else embarrassing.
--------
Why did I gravitate to Rika? Well, one, because she's effectively an open book. But two, she represented something not found in any other route - a mirror for Hisao. His interactions with her would ultimately be a reflection upon himself. Every route explores part of Hisao, and develops it, but none ever truly allow for reflection and full acceptance of his condition.
So, this is what I wrote yesterday, and used today for editing. I'll work on more in a bit.
Act 1:
1
2
Act 2:
1
2
Act 1:
Changes to Gateway Effect and Enter Stage Left:
Mutou looks at me levelly before asking, “Do you want to introduce yourself to the class?”
“Ok, then yeah, sure. I mean, isn’t that normal?” I finally decide.
“Of course. But not everyone likes to be at the center of attention,” he replies.
I am not one of those people either, but I want to make sure I give a good impression.
“Right, but it’s no problem.”
Mutou nods. “Let’s go then.”
As we walk, I think to myself, before asking him a question. “Is it normal for students here to share why they are here? Their issues? I don’t know what is expected of me.”
He pauses a moment at the door. “It is not required, but if your classmates know of your condition, it will certainly make things easier. If something were to happen, they would more likely to know how to respond.”
It makes sense, I suppose. While I’d not had an attack since that afternoon, I knew the risk was always going to be there.
He continues after a moment. “Think of it this way. Imagine you had a problem breathing. Would you want those with whom you share a sizable portion of your day to be aware of it, so in case you had an episode they would be able to respond?”
I muse this point, then nod.
Satisfied, Mutou enters the classroom, saying “Good morning everyone, sorry I am late again.
I follow in the teachers wake into the classroom and look around, partially so I won't have to meet the curious gazes of my new classmates.
I am immediately struck by how spacious the room is. With a high ceiling and lots of room between desks, the room feels very comfortable to me. Behind me, the entire wall is taken up by blackboards. Along the far wall are old fashioned windows set at head level, giving the illusion of yet more space. The desks are just standard wooden desks with a shelf underneath for books and wooden chairs with metal frames, just like my old school.
When I reach the front of the classroom I turn to face the other students. I tune out the teacher's speech halfway through while he introduces me to the class. They all look like students in any other school. My eyes slowly focus across the room at them. One of the girls seems to be missing the thumb of her right hand, reminding me that this is not a normal school, and that everyone who is here needs to be here for one reason or another.
A flash of dark hair catches my eye, and I spot a girl with really long, straight hair that is pretty eye-catching looking at me. As she sees me looking back at her, she covers her face with her hands as if it will make her invisible. My eyes linger a moment more before I continue looking around the room.
A cane leans against the lockers at the rear of the class, next to a boy. Another girl seems to be making some hand motions, maybe sign language, to the smiling, pink haired girl next to her. She peers at me over the rims of her glasses, then goes back to whatever she's doing.
My attention returns as Mutou says "…please welcome our newest classmate."
The room falls into silence, it is my turn to speak.
I bow respectfully to my new classmates. “Hello, I am Hisao Nakai.” I inhale and steel myself. “I came to Yamaku Academy due to an arrhythmia, a weak heart. I am not made of glass, but I would ask kindly for people not to jostle me. I hope to get along well with everyone even though I am a new student.”
The silence in the room stretched for eternity I felt, but in truth was only a few moments before Mutou began speaking again. After a moment, the class applauds just as Mutou directs me to where I am to sit, next to the two girls I saw using sign language moments before.
--------
Changes to Lunch Evolution Theory and Meet Cute. Can do something similar with Short Sharp Shock:
“Mind if I accompany you?” I ask the pair as they turn to leave.
Lilly pauses a moment before replying, “I’m sure that we could accommodate you, can’t we Hanako?”
Hanako freezes like a deer in headlights. Then stammers out “S-sure.”
Smiling, Lilly turns again to leave. “Well then, shall we go?”
I pick up my things and trail behind them, ignoring the glares from Shizune and Misha behind me.
As we turn the corner, I find myself suddenly running into something which was moving too fast for me to anticipate. Hanako’s scream fills my ear as I land on the ground aside from her.
“Ouch,” is all I manage to say before landing on my back.
I look over at what hit me, and find myself staring into the green eyes of a girl in a track uniform, also knocked down by the impact. She appears as stunned as I feel, but no obvious damage. Surprising me, I notice she lacks flesh and blood legs, instead sporting legs of metal and plastic. As soon as she recovers, she jumps back onto her feet.
“Aw man… Hey, are you all right? I'm sorry about that, really!” she says, in a very apologetic manner. “I wasn't looking where I was going, and you just came out of nowhere. Sorry… Sorry.”
I wave her off, “It's okay. Don't worry about it… ouch…”
The thumping, not again. It’s only my first week here. I focus on my breathing as I try and calm my heart down. Almost on the edge of perception I can hear Hanako’s voice explaining to someone “He has a heart condition.”
“Oh no!” says the girl’s voice.
Lilly’s voice starts to get a bit clearer. “Emi, you’ve been warned not to run in the halls.”
“Sorry, sorry, let me get the nurse,” comes the voice, Emi’s I assume, now nearly full clarity, and quite loud.
I manage to stammer out. “I can walk, give me a moment.” A few deep breaths later, and my heart seems back to it’s normal, if irregular, beat. “There.”
Lilly is facing me with a rather stern look on her face. “You need to see the nurse.”
Emi nods, “If I let you go and something happened, I would feel horrible!”
A quick glance to Hanako, and it was clear that I was outvoted by the ladies before me.
Behind me, I can hear the sounds of rushing feet, along with Misha’s voice. “Who screamed? Hicchan! What happened?”
Emi injected, “It’s my fault, I was running. Here, let me help.”
“Ibarazaki, you know the rules about...”
Lilly interrupted them, saying, “Lecture her later. Hisao needs to see the nurse first. Emi, do you have him?”
Emi grabs one arm and forces herself under it. I note that for such a small girl, she is remarkably strong. I catch a whiff of sweat off of her, and strawberries.
“I’ll be fine,” I start to object.
“We’ll let the nurse determine that,” comes Misha’s voice. Someone behind me has placed their hand on my back, while Emi supports me under one arm. I can feel the crowd around me as we move. What a way to make a first impression this week. I fight away the tears I feel welling up within me.
I am broken.
--------
New Scene, alternate to Sip and Detour Ahead after above changes – The White Rabbit:
Emi burst in, half carrying me. “Nurse!”
The nurse looks out from his office, then spots Emi carrying me, with Shizune, Lilly, Hanako and Misha trailing behind.
“What happened?”
Emi jumps in before anyone else can respond. “I was late and was running in the hall and I didn’t see him, then he fell, turned red and grabbed his chest and Hanako said he had a bad heart and….”
“Emi, calm down. Hisao, into my office. Emi, you sit there, I’ve got to talk to you,” the nurse looks sternly at her.
The look of a hurt puppy flashes in Emi’s eyes. She finds herself standing in a circle of people, all of which look quite upset with her.
I pull myself into the other room. I know how I will be checked, so I start to unbutton my shirt, only to hear someone clearing their throat behind me. I look over my shoulder, and find myself facing a pale, thin girl with an odd red tint to her eyes and white hair sitting on the exam table kicking her legs. I immediately notice that her school uniform’s shirt is unbuttoned, revealing a sports bra underneath. But that is not what my eyes are drawn to. Sticking out on either side of her sports bra clear as day was a dark scar down her pale chest, running clear from her navel to her collarbone.
It takes a moment before the girl notices me standing there. “Hi, I’m Rika.” My brain has not yet engaged, still staring at her chest. After a moment, Rika tilts her head as she realizes what I was staring at. “What? It’s not like it’s a secret…. Why are you staring? Have you never seen a surgery scar before?” She points her thumb at the scar tissue and smiles.” When I die, the autopsy technician will know... exactly where to cut.” She buttons up her shirt, clearly uncomfortable with the attention.
It takes a few moments before my mouth finally engages. “… like mine.”
“What?” she replies, her hands frozen mid-button.
I finally shake off the shock. “Your scar, it’s like mine.”
“Yours?”
It now registers what I just said, to a stranger. It is foolish not to discuss it now. I finish unbuttoning my shirt, and turn around to face Rika, revealing my own chest scar. “Mine.”
Her eyebrows rose to the point it makes her eyes look almost double in size. “Oh! So... we are the same... is that what you're saying? Well…. You tell me yours and I’ll tell you mine.”
“Arrhythmia,” I say without thinking.
“Hypoplastic left heart syndrome,” she replies.
Now it is time for my own eyebrows to go up. “I’m… not familiar with that.”
She looks flatly at me. “It means when I was born, half of my heart did not work right.”
“Oh,” is what I manage to reply.
We both just stare at each other, neither one certain what to say next.
“Am I interrupting?” the Nurse asks as he steps back in the room.
We both suddenly look down, and blush.
“I know sharing surgery scars is the hip thing and all, but I need to make sure Hisao here was not too injured from his run in with Emi.” The nurse seems more serious than the last time I spoke with him. He continues talking while examining my chest. “Very good for you to have been so open about your condition Hisao. It meant that your classmates knew what to do. Not everybody is so forthcoming.” Man that stethoscope is cold.
I finish removing my shirt, and put Rika out of my mind while the nurse begins examining me. “Well, it sounds fine. I’ve lectured Emi about running in the halls, again. And she’s still being lectured, by two class representatives this time. Let’s hope it sinks in.”
Rika laughs, “Your turn, huh?”
I blink, realizing she’s still there. “What was that?”
“Emi ran into me last year…. I think it’s a right of passage at this school,” Rika says. Looking back, I see she is still kicking her legs, like a younger child.
“Aren’t you supposed to be going to lunch?” the nurse looked sternly at Rika.
“He took his shirt off for me, and told me what condition he has, yet still hasn’t introduced himself to me!” She sounds almost annoyed at being asked. “That’s just rude.”
I blink, processing it. “Oh, I’m Hisao Nakai. I only started at Yamaku on Monday.”
“Oh! You’re the new year 3? I’m only second year… class 2-3,” she replies. “You’re in... Hakamichi’s class, yes?”
I nod. “I take it she’s well known?”
Rika rolls her eyes. “Everybody knows the Student Council president.”
At this point I notice that the nurse hasn’t actually done anything for awhile. I look back at him.
He smiles. “I’ve been done for the last two minutes. Was wondering when you’d notice. You’re fine, but good that you came in just in case. Now, both of you should finish your lunch period and get back to class. Now, do you remember what I said about getting some exercise? I’ll talk to Emi about helping you get into shape, so I expect to see you on the track tomorrow morning at 7. No excuses, or else I’ll know. Consider it punishment for giving you a scare.”
“Punishment for me or her?”
The nurse smiles, and turned to walk back to his desk.
I look back, and Rika is standing right behind me, looking at me intensely. “Do you have an umbrella?”
I am taken back by the question. “Not on me, why? There’s not a cloud in the sky.”
“Oh...”
The nurse grabs something from next to his desk and hands it back to her.
“Thank you,” the pale girl says and skips out of the office.
Curious I follow her. She takes out on a pair of sunglasses which she puts on before opening up the umbrella and putting it between her and the sun.
“Need help?” I pipe up.
She looks back at me behind those sunglasses. “I would not mind if it was a little bit higher, to make a larger shadow, thank you.”
Looking down, I can see the shadow was not fully covering her legs. I take it from her hand, and hold it to better cover her in shadow.
We walk along in silence for a few minutes.
“You’re not going to ask?” She finally says.
I shrug. “I already know more about you than I do most people here. I figure it is entirely your business.”
She smiles. “Most people ask about my skin and eyes before they do my scar. It’s... nice to have someone do it the other way around. Thank you... for helping me... with the umbrella.”
“Glad to be of service.”
We walk to the main building, and once inside, Rika removes the sunglasses and closes the umbrella. I then follow her up a flight of stairs before stopping in front of a classroom door.
“This is my classroom. Yours is still a floor up. Although... I heard Emi mention Hanako... while out in the hall. That little room she and Satou use is right over there.” She gestures down the hall with the umbrella. “See you later Hisao.”
“Yeah, see you.”
As I walk away, I hear a voice behind me.
“Hisao?”
I turn around to look at Rika.
“Yes?”
“You have a nice…. scar,” she says while dragging a foot on the ground behind her shyly. It is rather cute.
I can’t help but smile. “You too. I hope to see it again sometime… um… I mean you again….”
Rika smiles as she heads into her classroom.
Smooth move Hisao.
--------
New Option added to Slow Recovery:
I wake up not certain how long I had been out. It takes a few minutes for me to realize that I am in the infirmary, and to remember exactly why I was here. Why ever did I get the idea to try and keep up with a track star?
A moment later, the nurse sticks his head in and smiles. “How are you feeling?”
I shrug. “What time is it?”
He looks more stern as he replies. “Quarter past ten. You did not answer my question Hisao.”
I nod. “Oh, fine.”
He looks unconvinced. “Climb down from that bed then, and let’s see how you’re doing. Don’t...”
I get up too quickly, and the world spins. When it stops, I realize the nurse is holding me up.
“You’re all right. Head stopped spinning?”
I nod. “Yeah.”
The nurse nods in return. “Good. And how are the contents doing? You didn’t show very good judgment out there, Hisao.”
I realize he is right, take a deep breath, and say “No, sir.”
He gives me a look over. “I can try and help you keeping your health, but ultimately the last call lies with you. Hopefully this little episode will be something that will remind you of that. Here, a note for your teacher. To avoid an interrogation. Stay out of trouble, you hear me? I don’t think it was anything but a scare, but next time could be different."
I nod, and start to leave, but then think of something.
“I should clean up before I go to class,” I say.
The nurse raises an eyebrow. “Well, the pool showers are just over there Two dozen individual stalls to clean up in. Go down the hall, take a left when you smell the chlorine. It is not a bad idea to take a shower, you did come here rather sweaty. Last thing we want is for people to get the wrong idea.” He winks at me with that characteristic smirk once again.
As I head in the direction of the pool showers, I notice a familiar hair color sitting on a bench.
“Not in class?” I ask Rika.
“You aren’t either,” she says dryly, looking up at me.
“Yeah, I, um, had another incident and needed some time to recover,” I say in return.
“I saw you in there sleeping. The nurse would not tell me why... but I guessed that was it.”
I chuckle dryly. “I think Emi is trying to kill me. So, what are you doing?”
“Waiting. It’s my class’s physical education period... but I can’t participate. So... I wait... and watch. See?” She points to a set of windows. Below them, a dozen kids are participating in some kind of game involving nets and balls. I’ll admit, I’ve never seen that before.
I smile a little. “You like to watch?”
“When I can. I’ll go up to the roof of the main building... sometimes and watch people below. It’s peaceful up there.”
“Maybe I’ll join you sometime,” I tell her.
“Maybe I’ll like that,” she responds. A few heartbeats later she speaks again. “Still not going to ask?”
I shake my head.
As she looks up at me, it strikes me that the red of her irises looks almost surreal. I never imagined eyes could be that color. They tremble slightly, like it is hard to focus on me.
“I, uh, need to shower before I return to class. Talk to you later, Rika?”
She nods, then smiles slightly. “I’d like that.” Then she realizes what she just said, then turns away, her cheeks turning pink.
The pool shower is colder than the one in my dorm, a fact I am quite grateful for this morning. I am alone in there as well, making the sounds echo.
As I leave, I realize someone is leaning on the wall across from the exit. Rika looks up at me. “Going to class?”
“Yup,” I respond absentmindedly.
“In your running clothes?”
I look down, and realize she was right. Clearly, my head is not in the game today.
“I, er, guess I need to go to my dorm to change.”
“And I... need to go in that direction anyways. May I join you?”
I consider a moment. “Won’t you miss your people watching?”
She shakes her head.
I shrug, and head out, with her following in step. As we exit the door, I hear the umbrella she carries unfolding, and feel a shadow slightly cover one shoulder. As I look down, I see that the shadow once again does not cover her legs. Without saying anything, I gently take hold of it, lifting it slightly to make a larger shadow.
“So, why are you going to the dorms at this time of day?”
Rika looks at me plainly. “Because I wanted an excuse to walk with you again.”
I could feel my eyebrows trying to become a toupee. “W-what?”
Rika just smiles before looking away.
When we get to the dorms, I hand her umbrella back to her, noting that it’s a much fancier one than the one the nurse lent her earlier. Then without word, still not knowing how to respond to what she said, I head in.
I strip out of my sweaty shirt before starting my medicine routine. I am halfway through my pill regimen before I notice the sound of my door opening.
Without even looking I grumble out between pills “Kenji, what have I told you about entering my room without knocking?” I finish taking the pills in my hand before I turn to look, and realize it is Rika standing there. It takes a moment to regain my composition before I finish taking my medicine, a bit more cautiously.
“Your door, it wasn’t fully closed,” she says while clearly looking at the pill bottles on my desk from my doorway. “You have more pill bottles than I do. Not many... but a few.” She pauses before continuing. “You don’t need... to be embarrassed. The Warfarin likes to get stuck in my throat.”
As I stop to process what she just said, she walks over, sets her umbrella down against the side of my desk and picks up one of my pill bottles, looking it over in her hand. Those eyes of hers flick over it quickly, almost mesmerizing in their intensity.
“It looks like we take many of the same pills... although yours seem to be a higher dose. Likely because... you’re a lot heavier... than I am.” She sets it down.
I blink. “You think I’m fat?”
Rika smiles. “No, I’m just light.” So as to emphasize this, she turns to face me and stands on her tip toes while raising her arms. “Go ahead, try and pick me up. I’ll bet you can.”
“Do you try and get picked up by every guy you meet?”
“Only those with heart conditions. You don’t need to be shy about it. I’m not.” She pauses. “Does your … heart sound funny too?”
“Eh, I suppose so,” I stammer out a reply.
“Too personal?”
I manage to nod. A few moments pass before I finally say, “Um, I do need to change.”
She blinks, like she did not fully realize what I was saying. Then her face flushes pink again. It is terribly cute. “Oh… um… I’ll…. Go now.”
She quickly backs out of the room before closing the door. I manage to change into my pants when there came a soft knock at the door. I open it, and Rika is still standing there.
“I, uh, forgot my...”
I look back and see her umbrella leaning against my desk. I quickly grab it and hand it over to her.
“Sorry, sorry, uh, thanks.” She quickly hustles down the hall and out of sight.
I then realize I did all of this without a shirt on. Best get to class before I do anything else embarrassing.
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